The lunar module Athena will today establish the first cellular network on the Moon.
Kyiv • UNN
The Nova-C class lunar module Athena will land on the Moon on March 6 to establish the first Nokia cellular network. The mission is part of NASA's CLPS program and includes the collection of lunar samples and scientific research.
This week, a landmark event in space exploration will take place: the Nova-C class lunar module Athena of the IM-2 mission by Intuitive Machines will land on the Moon on March 6 at 12:32 PM (Kyiv time). In particular, a cellular network will appear on the Earth's natural satellite as part of this mission. This was reported by Axios, writes UNN.
Details
According to media reports, Intuitive Machines has partnered with Lunar Outpost to launch the first commercial lunar rover on the Moon with the Finnish multinational technology company Nokia to create the first cellular network on the only natural satellite of Earth.
This mission is taking place after the lunar module Blue Ghost by Firefly Aerospace, based in Cedar Park, Texas, successfully completed its first commercial landing on the Moon on Sunday.
The second lunar mission of Intuitive Machines is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services ("CLPS") initiative, which allows the agency to hire private space companies to deliver its lunar instruments.
According to a NASA statement, Athena "is scheduled to land on Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon's South Pole, as part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and the Artemis campaign to establish a long-term presence on the Moon."
The space agency added that "NASA technology demonstrations and scientific research" will be conducted on board.
The rover will deploy Nokia's 4G/LTE antennas to establish communication on the Moon.
The lunar outpost MAPP aims to explore the unexplored territory of the Moon's South Pole, which, as the company stated in its announcement, is "a region critical for future lunar infrastructure and sustainability."
Lunar Outpost added that the project will also "make the first sale of NASA's space resources" by collecting regolith, rocks, and dust from the Moon's surface and "gather critically important data to inform future lunar exploration."
Where to watch this event?
The live stream of the mission's landing will be broadcast on the NASA channel on YouTube.
The broadcast will begin at 11:30 AM Eastern Time.
